Kurtunware settlement project

Audit report covers the period 1978-9/81; no methodology is given. The project has been only marginally successful. Initially, 50 units were built to experiment with various designs and materials and to assess cost factors. For construction of the remaining 350 units, a village committee chose in late 1981 a four-room, 473 square foot model as the prototype. Since then, however, fewer than 150 units have been built (and these without water or sanitary facilities) and none have been occupied due to: delayed provision of local currency by the Somali Government (SG), difficulty in training and retaining skilled construction workers, delayed receipt of equipment (especially spare parts) and materials (especially fuel), and overall weak management by the SDA. Further, the SDA has lent project commodities (e.g., 13,000 bags of cement) with USAID/S approval, but has not ensured the prompt return of these items. A recurring problem throughout the project has been the location of the offices of the SDA, the contractor (Louis Berger International, Inc. -- LBI), and the subcontractor (Florida A&M University) in Mogadishu. Further, the use of a host country contract limited USAID/S"s ability to directly control contractor activities. Regarding LBI vouchers, a few items were billed at budgeted rather than actual costs.